Q: Where did you grow up?
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Q: Where did you go to college?
Queens College in New York
Q: What are your favorites?
Food: Sushi
Movie: When Harry met Sally. Easily one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time.
Musician: Barbra Streisand
Destination: The Amalfi Coast in Italy. My other favorite destination is Puerto Rico because it’s my home. There are postcard views everywhere you look and I’ve found the food to be some of the heartiest in all the Caribbean.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
Wine tasting, travel, spending time with family or just sitting in the sand looking at the ocean.
Q: What kind of work does your company do in 340B and what makes it stand out?
Sentry Data Systems is a healthcare intelligence company offering technology solutions that address a wide variety of workflow, compliance, technical and financial challenges. Sentry’s products serve hundreds of hospitals and pharmacies across the country and we process millions of eligibility, financial, clinical, and pharmacy transactions per day on over 15 million patients. We are dedicated to being healthcare’s most trusted resource for transforming real-world data into actionable intelligence. Amazing company, caring culture.
Q: Why did you choose to work in the 340B space?
I have always wanted to help and be of service, I just didn’t know in what capacity. I now do work I love. Assisting our clients in ensuring 340B compliance so that the program is available to safety-net organizations for years to come is really something that brings me a great deal of satisfaction.
Q: What do you feel is your most significant contribution to the 340B world or to a 340B customer/client?
Working together with our clients to support them in achieving their 340B program goals before, during and after a HRSA and/or manufacturer audit. I work with the covered entity to ensure not only compliance with HRSA guidelines, but to ensure that the internal controls in place are appropriate, and that the hospital or other covered entity is achieving the maximum benefit from its participation in the 340B program.
My experience and expertise help covered entities understand the audit process and make better decisions, as well give them the tools to conquer their audit.
Q: What advice do you have for a young professional who has recently launched a career in the 340B space?
Stay updated on the latest 340B Information. Learn More about 340B Compliance and learn again. “Partial compliance is non-compliance”. Share your knowledge and assist others in ensuring 340B compliance, increasing transparency.
Lastly, smile and enjoy your 340B journey.
Ivy Espendez can be reached at iespendez@sentryds.com.
